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HIGHWAY CLOSED
Avalanche danger closes part of N. Idaho highway
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A 61-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 12 in northern Idaho near the Montana border is closed due to avalanche danger.
The Idaho Transportation Department says the highway is closed Thursday between Pete King Creek Road and Parachute Hill Road.
That's a section of road beginning about 24 miles east of Kooskia and extending to near Lolo Pass.
STUDENT SAFETY
Bill to improve school safety sent to Idaho House
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A lawmaker education panel has given their approval to a bill giving Idaho school districts more flexibility in using cigarette tax revenue to improve student safety.
The House Education Committee sent the school safety bill to the House Thursday morning.
The bill allows schools to use cigarette tax revenues for suicide prevention and other student safety efforts, instead of using it solely for substance abuse prevention.
It also could reduce the amount of tax revenue the Idaho State Police receives by requiring schools to pay for the actual cost of toxicology tests given to students instead of the flat $250,000 currently in state law.
Republican Rep. Rich Wills, who said he felt the bill pulled too much money from the Idaho State Police, was the only vote again the legislation.
KNIFE THREAT-BOY
Boise police: Boy threatened others with knife
(Information in the following story is from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com)
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A report of a 9-year-old boy jumping out of a tree and threatening two other boys with a pocket knife is being investigated by a school resource officer.
Boise Police Department spokeswoman Lynn Hightower tells the Idaho Statesman that the reported incident occurred before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Elm Grove Park.
Hightower says the school resource officer will determine if the boy's threat was a prank or malicious.
HART KILLING
Court rejects appeal of man serving 2 life terms
(Information in the following story is from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com)
LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Court of Appeals has rejected the appeal of a man serving two life terms with no parole for killing a Moscow woman.
The Lewiston Tribune reports the court earlier this week upheld David Meister's first-degree murder and conspiracy convictions in the 2001 shooting death 21-year-old Tonya Hart.
Meister argued that 2nd District Judge Carl B. Kerrick erred by limiting the testimony of an expert witness for the defense.
But the court ruled that the information on the expert's theories was presented to the jury during closing arguments.
Meister was convicted in 2003 but received a new trial and was convicted again in 2010.
In sentencing Meister after the second trial, Kerrick noted that Meister killed for money as a reason to deny Meister a chance at an early release.
FATHER ARRESTED
N. Idaho man in custody after child injured
(Information in the following story is from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com)
POST FALLS, Idaho (AP) — A northern Idaho man who police say injured his 4-month old child has been taken into custody and faces a charge of felony injury to a child.
The Spokesman-Review reports that 20-year-old Jeremiah D. Weaver of Post Falls is being held in the Kootneai County Jail on $100,000 bond.
Authorities say the child was airlifted Tuesday to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., for emergency surgery for a serious injury.
Police say they were called to a Post Falls home on Tuesday after a report of an infant having trouble breathing
Paramedics say they discovered possible bruising on the back of the child's head.
Weaver told police he didn't harm the child.
Weaver also faces a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
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